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By: Bob Pardue
What does it take to learn to play guitar? Playing the guitar is a great way to express yourself through
music. If you feel a strong urge to learn to play the guitar,
here's a quick self-test to determine if you're ready to take
this giant step. Test Mind and Body Before signing on for guitar lessons, test your mind and body.
Your mind should be clear to learn. Learning to play the guitar
is like learning any other skill. You must have some free time
to dedicate solely to learning - even if it's only 15 minutes
per day. This should be a time of total concentration when you
can block out the cares of work and life to work on your lessons
and practice. Physical Health and Playing the Guitar Your body's physical health is also important. Playing the
guitar requires holding a guitar in an upright position, either
resting on your legs or held upright by a shoulder strap.
Consider the strength of your back, shoulders, arms and legs. A
person who suffers from severe lower back pain may find it
difficult to hold a guitar for any length of time. If you know
someone who owns a guitar, you can practice holding theirs to
test your strengths and weaknesses. Also, consider the physical condition of your hands, fingers and
wrists. Some conditions that could hinder your playing ability
include arthritis, carpal tunnel or frequent swelling of the
wrists or fingers. It's Still Possible Even if you have a condition that makes it difficult to play a
guitar, this doesn't mean you will never play. You can research
online or talk with a professional instructor to find out if
there are ways to work around your disability or physical
weakness. For example, if you have back pain, you might find a
lightweight guitar that's easy to hold. Or, if you have swelling
or pain in the hands, there may be exercises to help relieve the
tension. Don't give up until you've done the research. The Relevance of Musical Talent If you have natural musical talent, that's great. However, if
you don't feel that you are naturally talented, don't worry. You
only need the desire to learn and the ability to listen, read
and practice. You learn to play the guitar by taking one step at
a time - or one note at a time. Without musical talent, you
might have to concentrate just a little harder at the beginning,
but soon you'll find it to be similar to learning any skill. Questions to Ask After considering the above, answer these questions to determine
your readiness to learn playing the guitar. 1) Do you have a strong desire to play the guitar? 2) Why do you
want to learn to play the guitar? 3) Do you want to learn to
read music or play the guitar by ear? 4) Is a guitar instructor
available where you live? 5) If an instructor is not available,
are you willing to learn using an online guitar course? 6) Once
your guitar lessons begin, are you willing to practice at least
fifteen to thirty minutes per day, five to six days a week? 7)
Do you have the money to invest in a guitar? Your answers to these questions should help you determine if
you're ready to learn how to play the guitar. You're only lessons away from playing great guitar music! About the author:
Bob Pardue is owner of the site for reading music called Music
Playground. You can view his other music articles by going to
http://www.largemart.com/read-music/
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